


Gentle On My Mind

by DetectiveRoboRyan



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Slash, Summer, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 15:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11786055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DetectiveRoboRyan/pseuds/DetectiveRoboRyan
Summary: With a day free to do as he pleases, Corrin requests something of Kaze-- teaching him how to swim. Commission for Suzu.





	Gentle On My Mind

It was the middle of the summer— damnably hot and humid, at that. The army, at least part of it, was camped in one of the towns surrounded by rice fields spanning acres and acres of southern Hoshido in order to stock up on supplies. The Astral Realms provided plenty of fresh water and the crops that grew in the castle, yes, but there were countless other things they needed that the Dragons could not provide. Things like fabric and rope and candles. Little necessities.  
  
Kaze had intended to go supervise— considering how things tended to go awry when that Nohrian maid was on duty, it seemed like it'd be common sense. They couldn't have all the eggs drop into the dirt and sizzle on the hot ground, for instance. Really, it was best he went along, just in case.  
  
He'd been about to move out with the empty carts when Corrin caught his elbow. He'd forgone armor in the hot day, since they didn't have to fight anything, and to Kaze, he looked odd in anything but glimmering white and gold and that long blue cape. Still regal, of course— just a more down-to-earth kind of regal.  
  
Kaze blinked. He glanced down at his liege— his _friend,_ he reminded himself, because Corrin was not just his liege or commander, and it'd do Corrin a disservice to only see him as such.

"Yes, milord?" Kaze asked, bowing his head.  
  
"Corrin," Corrin corrected, ever patient. His smile felt as warm as the sunshine, except without the intent to burn everything to a crisp given the opportunity.  
  
Kaze's lip curled upwards without him noticing. "Of course. Corrin."  
  
"I was just noticing you about to follow the supply carts on their way to town," Corrin began. "You know you don't need to."  
  
_Busted_. Kaze hesitated. "I thought it best if I supervised," he said lamely.  
  
"Kagero and Reina have it well in hand," Corrin insisted. Kaze didn't doubt that— he knew Kagero as well as he would his own sister, and even though Reina's lack of battlefield manner surprised him, he knew she was responsible. Still, it didn't feel right, sitting at camp doing nothing but simmering in the summer heat.  
  
He expressed as much to Corrin, who laughed— to Kaze's surprise.  
  
"Oh, Kaze, who said you'd be doing nothing?" Corrin asked. "Spend the day with me, instead. It's so rare we get a chance to, you know— relax."  
  
Alright. Relaxing. Kaze can do that. Contrary to popular belief, Kaze did not have a stick up his derrière, and that honor still belongs to Saizo. Kaze could relax— especially if it involved spending time with Corrin.  
  
They spent some time wandering around outside of camp, in the forest speckling the hills between rice-growing properties. Cicadas screeched among the trees, filling the summer air with sound. Kaze was glad he'd foregone a sleeveless shirth that day, like Corrin. (Corrin certainly didn't seem to mind, catching glances at Kaze's well-toned biceps. Not that Kaze noticed…)  
  
Corrin stretched his arms over his head. He was built shorter and stouter than Kaze, fingers tipped with reptilian claws, skin sun-kissed and freckled. It was hard to picture him cooped up indoors when he looked so radiant in the summer sunshine.  
  
Maybe that was just Kaze, though.  
  
"Gods, it's hot," Corrin remarked, running a hand through his white hair. Then he had an idea. "Kaze, teach me to swim!"  
  
Kaze blinked. Whatever he thought Corrin was going to say, it wasn't that. "Excuse me?"  
  
"I heard there was a pond near here," Corrin clarified. "I don't know how to swim. We've got time and it's a hot day. Why not take the chance where we have it?"  
  
And Kaze couldn't very well refuse, now could he?  
  
Corrin wasted no time rolling up the legs of his linen trousers and dipping his feet into the rocky pond. He shivered at the feeling of pond scum squishing between his toes as he squished over to a flat rock nearby and pulled the shirt from his freckly back. Corrin was known to sun himself as a lizard would— though Kaze hadn't known the illusory sun in the Astral Realm would make him freckle so. An extra set of muscles in his chest tensed where wings would be, as if he was shaking out a set that was not there. Kaze supposed that's what he would do, if he were in his dragon form.  
  
Kaze noticed himself staring and tore his eyes away, busying himself with untying his boots.  
  
"Ryoma told me that most everyone in Hoshido at least knows how to swim," Corrin said, eyeing the deeper end of the pond— up to Kaze's chin, but over Corrin's head. "They learn really young, and keep the knowledge throughout their life. I suppose mother never got around to teaching me, or something." He smiled forlornly.  
  
"They don't swim in Nohr?" Kaze questioned.  
  
"It's too dry," Corrin explained. "Unless you want to swim in some dark underground aquifer, but Leo tells me that's dangerous because there are vapors underground, and leeches and things, so you could get sick."  
  
"A shame," Kaze said. "I rather like swimming. It's good exercise."  
  
"That's what Hinata said," Corrin agreed. "I don't want to be left out, is all."  
  
Kaze could understand that. He stretched his arms over his head, leaving his shirt on the rock with Corrin's. "You have to stretch before you swim," he said. "Or you'll be sore."  
  
Corrin squished his way out of the pond and imitated Kaze's stretches. "So, swimming isn't that hard, right?" he asked. "You just splash around the right way."  
  
"Not quite," Kaze began. "Swimming is really more of a discipline than a sport. It requires determination, focus, and proper breath control as well as a drive to know where one is going. However, it's a skill that could save your life if you…"  
  
Corrin wasn't listening. Kaze sighed.  
  
"The first step to swimming," Kaze began, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders. "Is becoming familiar with the water."  
  
Corrin nodded. "Alright, so, how do I do that? Should I ask Azura?"  
  
Very funny. Kaze let out a sigh through his nose as he stepped up on the rock. "I'm not here to teach you hydrokinesis, I'm here to teach you how to swim. Come, step closer."  
  
Corrin climbed onto the rock next to him. Kaze took a deep breath, letting his lungs fill with air. Corrin imitated this. The sunshine beat down on Kaze's shoulders, but not too harshly— summer had truly arrived.  
  
In one swift movement, Kaze had hoisted Corrin onto his shoulders like a sack of flour. Corrin vocalized a protest, but this was short-lived as Kaze lowered his stance and tossed Corrin into the deeper end of the pond with a mighty splash and a wave that lapped the border of the pond. A perfect arc, and a magnificent splash— yes, that was a good one. Kaze nodded approvingly to himself. Saizo the Fourth would be proud that Kaze was using his teaching method.  
  
Corrin didn't come up right away. In fact, it took a minute. Then the bubbles stopped, and then Kaze worried. Had he just accidentally drowned his liege?  
  
This was terrible! For a moment, Kaze panicked— how would he explain this to Lord Ryoma, to the rest of Corrin's siblings? How would he explain it to the rest of the army? What would they do about the war with Nohr? Then he steeled himself. Obviously, the thing to do would be to confess and honorably accept his punishment— execution at the hands of the current ruler. He'd best make peace with whomever he'd leave behind now. Doubtlessly as soon as people heard of Kaze's terrible, terrible deed, they'd want his blood. And he was prepared to give it to them.  
  
Then Corrin breached the water's surface, coughing and sputtering, and Kaze breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't have to face execution after all!  
  
"You absolute ass," Corrin called, flailing his way back to solid ground, shaking water from his hair. "That's how you teach someone to swim?"  
  
"It's how my father taught me," Kaze replied. "Is there a better way?"  
  
"Probably," Corrin shrugged, shaking himself out and then getting back onto the rock. "But I don't know it, either."  
  
A dilemma, then. Kaze frowned. "Well, when Saizo and I were children, my father kept throwing us until we learned," he said. "Shall I throw you again?"  
  
Corrin grinned impishly. "I have a better idea," he decided. "Stand there, please?"  
  
Kaze did so. Corrin stepped back. While he did so, Kaze looked at the rippling surface of the pond. They'd scared off whatever fish had been living there, back into the streams. The ripples faded back to serenity, leaving the greenish water to still. It was a lovely sight, really.  
  
Then Corrin shoved him into the pond with all his might and all thoughts of serenity were forgotten.  
  
Down into the water, Kaze plunged. He held his breath, pond water burning in his nose, and watched from beneath the surface as Corrin jumped from the rock and into the pond with another mighty splash. He had his eyes shut tight, his hand clamped over his nose like a child learning to dive. It was almost endearing, and Kaze allowed himself a tender smile before breaching the surface of the water.  
  
He lifted Corrin from what could've been a watery grave. Corrin wiped the water from his face and laughed breathlessly.  
  
"Perhaps it's not the worst way to learn," he said with a grin.  
  
"Perhaps, but it may not be the safest, either," Kaze replied.  
  
"Will you throw me again?" Corrin asked.  
  
"Only if you'll permit me to jump in after you," Kaze answered.  
  
And Corrin beamed, latching himself onto Kaze's arm. "I wouldn't dare discourage you."

**Author's Note:**

> if you like my work, please consider buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/A3252NPV
> 
> i also take commissions! email ryanzman17@gmail.com to discuss.


End file.
